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Lehigh Community Services has begun registration for its annual Lehigh Acres Thanksgiving distribution, which helps approximately 500 families each year.

According to Lehigh Community Services Executive Director Carolyn Peplow, they began to register individuals for their Thanksgiving meals on Oct. 26 and will continue until Friday, Nov. 13 or until registration is full.

“Each year families are provided with food items to help prepare the holiday meal. Items vary but include things like boxed stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy mix, yams, etc. Families are also supplied with a turkey, or gift card to a local grocery store to buy their turkey, ham, etc.,” Peplow said.

Individuals who would like to register are asked to bring their photo ID and proof of Lehigh Acres address to Lehigh Community Services, located at 201 Plaza Drive, Suite 3 from 1 to 4 p.m. each day.

This year’s registration procedures will follow CDC guidelines.

“This year we are also asking that individuals not form lines and practice social distancing during registration,” Peplow said. “At registration families will be given tickets directing them on where to pick up the food items.”

Lehigh Community Services, New Life Assembly, Christ United Methodist Church, Lehigh Regional Medical Center and the Lehigh Acres Moose Lodge all work together to provide this service to families each year. The group served 465 families in 2019.

Lehigh Medical Regional Center’s staff is already hard at work preparing the Thanksgiving baskets for pick up later this month.

Last year the hospital provided baskets for about 25 families, plus a gift card from the physicians.

This is the fourth year the hospital has participated in the Thanksgiving gift basket program.

“We started this program in collaboration with Lehigh Community Services when I started in 2015. It just seemed like the right thing to do. We also do our school supplies in September and a Socks for Senior’s event during the holidays,” Fisher said. “Our staff supplied all the baskets. Each basket contains enough food for the entire day on Thanksgiving, plus dessert, and paper plates and utensils, so they have everything they need,” Charlene Fisher, Medical Staff Services Director at Lehigh Regional said in an earlier interview.

Lehigh Community Services is still accepting donations for Thanksgiving meals, as well as year round pantry items.

“Right now we still need items such as turkeys, sides like mash potatoes, yams, gravy, vegetables and pre canned vegetables, plus brownie mix or a cake mix for desserts. Those who wish to donate can come after our pantries, which are Monday through Friday from 8:45 a.m. to 11 a.m. Our center is also closed between 11:40 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” Lehigh Community Services staff said.

For more information on Lehigh Community Services, call (239) 369-5818.